Arsenal are the biggest Premier League club in London and most players that are attracted to the league, are attracted to Arsenal too.

Arsene Wenger has found the time to put to bed the story that he ever considered ever taking Burnley midfielder Joey Barton to Arsenal.

Both in his autobiography and in interviews, Barton has repeatedly stated that he was close to moving to the Emirates ahead of his eventual free transfer to Queens Park Ranger in the summer of 2011.

The player has re-signed with the Clarets after his summer move to Rangers ended acrimoniously and he made his second debut as a substitute before scoring the only goal of the game to give the home side a 1-0 win over Southampton.

Wenger said ahead of the game with Burnley: “I’ve been contacted many times to take Joey Barton. But he was never close to signing.

“We had some fights with him, that’s true. There was never any need (to take him) in midfield.”

Barton has suggested that Wenger’s interest ended when he picked up a red card against Arsenal in the 4-4 draw with Newcastle a few months earlier.

That summer the Gunners went on to buy Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Mikel Arteta, Yossi Benayoun and Gervinho as well as a squad that included future England regulars Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshere.

Barton is likely to feature when Sean Dyche takes his men to north London on Sunday, with both sides having won three of their last five league games.